MIAMI – The 2025 Concacaf U-17 Men’s Qualifiers will be played from February 7-16, adding a new chapter to the competition's history.
The new Concacaf U-17 Men’s Qualifiers consist of a single round, in which the participating Member Associations are split into eight groups. After round-robin play, where each team will play against each team in its group once, the eight group winners qualify for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
With nine titles, Mexico is the Concacaf nation with the most Concacaf Men's U-17 Championship victories: 1985, 1987, 1991, 1996, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2023. The United States is next with three trophies (1983, 1992, 2011), followed by Costa Rica (1994) and Cuba (1988), each with one conquest.
Rivalries
Mexico and the United States have been the champions and runners-up in eight editions, with one coming in the U-16 category in 1987. When the tournament changed to U-17 in 1991, Mexico finished first and the United States second in the final round. The United States secured first place in the following edition, and Mexico finished second. The two swapped places again in the 1996 edition.
The two Concacaf giants met in the 2017 Final, a match where Mexico tied in stoppage time and went on to win 5-4 on penalties. Despite the U.S. hosting in 2019, Mexico prevailed again, 2-1 after extra time, over its rivals in the championship match. Mexico won its third consecutive final over the U.S., and fifth consecutive, at the 2023 edition.
Canada and the United States faced off in the final of the 2011 edition. The two sides were inseparable through regular time until the U.S. prevailed with three goals in extra time to add a chapter to the two program’s North American rivalry.
Costa Rica and Honduras fought in the playoff in the 2005 edition, with the winner taking the last berth to the World Cup. Honduras tied the aggregate at home in the second leg to send the series to extra time, where Los Ticos would prevail.
Mexico and Honduras met in the 2015 final in San Pedro Sula. Mexico won 3-nil to add another chapter to the historic matches between the two nations at the international level.
Iconic Matches
September 3, 1983 – Trinidad and Tobago 0, United States 0 (USA won 5-3 PKs)
The final of the inaugural Concacaf Men's Under-17 Championship in Trinidad & Tobago 1983 remains the only one of the seven finals that ended in a 0-0 draw. The between the United States and Trinidad & Tobago. It was also the first final to be decided by a penalty shootout, with the United States winning 5-3.
May 14, 1985 – Mexico 10, Panama 0
On Matchday 2 of Group A in the 1985 edition in Mexico, the host nation faced Panama on May 14, 1985. Mexico won 10-0, with Elías Ledesma scoring five goals (19’, 45’, 49’, 76’, 80’), becoming the first player in the tournament's history to net five goals in a single match.
August 17, 1992 – Mexico 12, Aruba 0
5. On August 17, 1992, during Matchday 3 of Group B in the 1992 edition in Cuba, Mexico secured a historic 12-0 victory over Aruba, the largest margin of victory in the tournament’s history. The match was played at Rekortan Stadium in Santiago de Cuba, with goals scored by Martín Díaz (4), Édgar García (3), Samuel Terrés (2), Carlos Cortés, Jorge Betancourt, and Emmanuel Martínez.
April 11, 2013 – United States 1, Guatemala 0
On Matchday 3 of Group C in the 2013 edition in Panama, the United States defeated Guatemala 1-0 with a goal from Corey Baird (49’). This victory set a new tournament record for the most consecutive wins (11) by a national team, surpassing Mexico’s previous record of 10.
April 19, 2013 – Mexico 2, Panama 1
In the tournament’s history, there have been only two instances where a team came from behind to win the championship, with Mexico being the protagonist in both cases. The first comeback occurred in the 2013 edition in Panama on April 19, 2013, when Mexico overcame a deficit against Panama, which had taken the lead with a goal from Jesús Araya (51’). However, an own goal by Jaime de Gracia (57’) and a strike from Salomón Wbias (69’) secured Mexico's title.
May 16, 2019 – Mexico 2, United States 1 (aet)
The second comeback in a championship match happened at the 2019 edition in the United States on May 16, 2019. The U.S. had taken the lead with a goal from Griffin Yow (9’), but Mexico responded with goals from Santiago Muñoz (17’) and Israel Luna (108’) to claim the championship.
Stars of Today
Concacaf 2023/24 Male Player of the Year winner Adalberto Carrasquilla (PAN) featured in the 2015 edition. Fellow nominees Jonathan David (CAN) and Christian Pulisic (USA) also participated in the tournament at the 2017 and 2015 editions respectively.
The 2019 edition featured several of the future stars of the Concacaf Nations League, including the likes of Omari Glasgow (GUY), Thierry Gale (BAR) and Andre Applewhaite (BAR), and multiple-time champions Ricardo Pepi (USA) and Gio Reyna (USA).
Reyna, Munoz and Damus among past CMU17 stars
Dwayne Atkinson (JAM), winner of the Best Player Award, presented by Scotiabank, at the 2024 Concacaf Caribbean Cup, and Styven Vásquez (SLV), one of the standout scorers of the 2024 Concacaf Central American Cup, also featured in 2019.
Other current stars in Concacaf who participated in the U-17 qualifiers include Luis Palma (HON) in 2017, Alberth Elis (HON), and Junior Flemmings (JAM) in 2013 and 2011, Maxime Crépeau (CAN) in 2011, Joel Campbell (CRC), and Anthony Lozano (HON) in 2009, Leonel Moreira (CRC) and Andre Blake (JAM) in 2007.
The 2005 edition featured future Costa Rican stars like Celso Borges and Kendall Waston and future Mexican stars Efraín Juárez, Giovani dos Santos, and Carlos Vela, the latter of which would go on to win the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship.
